Native Title Officer Scheme

The objective of the program is to support access to justice by facilitating efficient and effective resolution of native title claims.

This is achieved by contributing towards the salary of native title officers (NTOs), who work with individuals and organisations who are respondents to native title litigation.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

• increased understanding of native title issues by members of peak bodies or organisations
• coordination of instructions to legal representatives
• the grouping of respondents in claim areas.

Grouping of native title respondents in this manner assists with the efficient and cost-effective resolution of claims as parties with similar interests are represented by a single legal representative.

While the maximum grant period is 3 years ending July 2025, agreements can be made for one, 2 or 3 years.
To be eligible for grant funding, applicants must be peak industry bodies or other organisations that employ, or are seeking to employ, NTOs to assist respondents in the resolution of native title claims.

Applications will not be accepted from individuals (including consultants), law firms, sole practitioners or consulting firms.

Further to the above, you must be one of the following entity types:

• Company
• Cooperative
• Corporate Commonwealth Entity
• Corporate State or Territory Entity
• Incorporated Association
• Indigenous Corporation
• Local Government Entity
• Non-corporate Commonwealth Entity
• Non-corporate Commonwealth Statutory Authority
• Non-corporate State or Territory Entity
• Non-corporate State or Territory Statutory Authority
• Partnership
• Statutory Entity
• Unincorporated Association.